-
Summer Community Theater–Excited to be Back on Stage!
Perform, rinse, repeat After last summer’s experience performing in my community theater’s production of “Footloose,” I knew that I would plan to audition again for the summer of 2023. I anxiously waited for the announcement of the summer show. Not that it would change whether or not I auditioned, but I still wanted to know. The musical for the summer of 2023 was going to be Rogers and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella.” Honestly, I didn’t have much of a reaction to that. I was familiar with some of the music and aspects of the story but had never actually seen a production of it, either on stage or screen (not even the…
-
Graduation Party DIY Style!
My daughter just graduated from high school (CONGRATULATIONS to my girl!), and I had asked her a few months prior if she wanted a graduation party. No surprise, she did. I am a big fan of open house style parties when there is a large crowd involved. (I am also a fan of pot luck parties when there is a large crowd, but that did not seem appropriate in this situation.) I really wanted to host a party that she would enjoy, and I wanted her to be able to invite whomever she wanted, but I didn’t want this to break the bank. I am sharing this information because it…
-
Dear Gen-Xers:
Dear Gen-Xers: You are my target audience because we have something important in common. I would love for everyone to read and enjoy this blog, but, over the past few years, my personal goals and reasons for having this blog have been tweaked. My goals and reasons have not changed completely. They have just morphed and shifted a bit as life has progressed. Undoubtedly I want readers, but the primary reason I am doing the activities I write about is to help myself. By writing and sharing my “adventures” and experiences, I can hopefully help my fellow Gen-Xers along the way as well while giving much deserved credit to those…
-
My Return to Community Theater After a Two Decade Hiatus
This summer I did something which I had not done in 21 years: I auditioned for a community theater musical! The last show I did was, as mentioned, 21 years ago. My husband was in the cast with me back then (we were already married), and we did not have any kids. Fast forward—my husband auditioned with me again. Although I had not performed in a few decades, my daughter is a “theater kid,” so I have been a proud, strong theater mom for nine years. I always loved watching her perform and I loved seeing the relationships she developed with others in the cast. This summer it was time…
-
Pour Painting–Easier and More Successful than Expected!
I have seen photos and videos of pour painting projects, and I always thought that the final products looked so beautiful and interesting. Pour painting is a method where acrylic paint is poured onto a surface, and the design is created by the flow of the paint. The videos make it look easy. I decided to see if the process was as easy as it looked. (You never really know until you try.) To start, the video that I finally used to learn and teach my family is this one. Although my kids were not thrilled with the idea of doing an art project with me (they were forced into…
-
I FINALLY Know How to Fold a Fitted Sheet!
Not to brag, but, academically, I have earned a lot of letters behind my name. (If curious, they are B.S., M.D., M.P.H.) I have a career and work outside the home. That does not, however, mean that I don’t want to have the skills of the stereotypical domestic goddess. I would love to keep a spotless home, prepare gourmet meals, and dress like I just stepped out of a magazine. Reality kicks in, and I do the best that I can. That is all any of us can do. That does not mean that I am not going to try to make little bits of progress toward the unrealistic vision. …
-
I am a 51 Year Old Woman Who Has Finally Learned How to Solve a Rubik’s Cube!
I grew up in the 80’s, and yes, I had a Rubik’s Cube. I would play around with it, but I would be thrilled if I could solve just one side. I honestly don’t even remember if I successfully solved two sides. One may have been my limit. (Also, I didn’t cheat by removing and replacing the stickers.) I was always impressed by those who could solve a Rubik’s Cube but never imagined that I would be amongst them…until now! Before you read any farther, I am letting you know right now that you will not learn how to solve a Rubik’s Cube in this post. It is really…
-
The Breathing Festival 2021–The Power of Our Breath
I have always been interested in health and wellness. Recently I completed some additional Gale courses on brain health and mindfulness. (I previously did a Gale course to learn some sign language.) Participating in The Breathing Festival and learning about breathwork seem like a great next step. I learned about this festival from a wonderful person, Nicole Price. (I am biased. She is my cousin, but that does not at all change the fact that she is absolutely fabulous!) Rather than just sharing my Festival experience after the fact, I want to let you know about it now so that you can check it out and hopefully share your experiences,…
-
Great Decisions–We All Benefit by Learning about our World
As an adult, I have learned to appreciate the library, much more now than I did as a kid. In addition to checking out books, movies, and music, I have taken advantage of multiple library programs. These have ranged from lectures to demonstrations to hands-on projects and more. Last year I chose to participate in something new (to me), and this did force me to step outside of my normal “box.” My local library is one of many hosts of the “Great Decisions” program. This is a discussion program on world affairs and was developed by the Foreign Policy Association. I will admit that my knowledge of world affairs is…
-
Reverse Tie-Dye–Family Fun Creating Coordinated Sweats!
Each year for Hanukkah, I try to plan family activities on some of the eight nights. When the activity involves making something, you get an added bonus at the end! This year, I decided that my family would do a reverse tie-dye project. Instead of having Christmas jammies, we would create Hanukkah sweats! Between winter in Chicagoland and the fact that we are all spending more time at home, sweats seemed like a perfect option. After looking at multiple posts, I honestly just decided to pick the parts that seemed easiest and most doable and went from there. I could watch videos and find posts about using bleach for reverse…
If it's not illegal, immoral, or blatantly stupid, I am willing to give it a try!
